BEACH BACTERIA A RISK AT 21% OF SITES TESTED

Nearly a quarter of beach water-quality tests in a new national analysis showed high levels of bacteria, an indicator that stormwater pollution persists despite years of progress.

The finding came from the Surfrider Foundation and Emergen-C Blue, which this week released their first Blue Water Task Force report at
surfrider.org/publications.

The volunteer-driven tests that formed the basis for the analysis are part of a long-running national effort by environmental groups, local agencies and others to monitor beaches and draw attention to problem spots.

Surfrider said uncertain government funding for beach tests means “we need community testing more than ever to ensure the health of beachgoers around the country.”

The latest assessment included nearly 2,000 water-quality samples from Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, New England, Hawaii and other spots. None were in San Diego County, though other tests have shown persistent pollution problems at some local beaches.

While 70 percent of the water samples showed low bacteria counts, 21 percent failed to meet national standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency to safeguard public health in recreational waters. High bacteria levels indicate fecal contamination and the pathogens that can cause illness.

Consistent with prior studies, the Surfrider analysis confirmed that a majority of samples with high bacteria levels came from spots near stormwater drains.

The latest report was the result of a partnership between Surfrider and Alacer Corp. to raise awareness about the need for clean water. The company is donating 20 cents from each sold box of its vitamin drink Emergen-C Blue to the cause.

The groups have developed a website,
surfrider.org/blue-water-task-force, to store and display water quality data, alert beachgoers about water-quality conditions and encourage communities to reduce pollution.